Mead, Theodore, 1821-1876
John M. McDonald interview — 1850-10-21
Theodore Mead (1821-1876), a grandson of Ebenezer Mead of the Connecticut Militia, examined his grandfather’s papers to see if they contained any information regarding the Revolutionary War. It appears that these papers included material connected to Colonel John Mead’s regiment of Connecticut Militia. He informs John Macdonald that his grandfather was never taken prisoner during the war, and comments on American General Israel Putnam’s escape from British forces in Greenwich on February 26, 1779.
Manuscript page facsimiles
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Transcription
1035 185 [margin: 126] [margin: A.B.N.] [margin: 1850.] October 21st Gilbert Bearmore, of King Street: "I don't know where Major Mansfield Bearmore was born or where his mother was from, or what her maiden name was, but both son and mother were natives, probably, of the old Borough town of West Chester. We are cousins of the Peekskill Bearmores, and these last were cousins of Major Mansfield Bearmore and his sisters. John Bearmore who was at Horton Reynolds's in the night of Colonel Wells's capture and gave information of the coming attack, &c, was my father."
Oct. 21st Theodore Mead, of Putnam Hill. Mr. Mead, at my request, cheerfully examined the papers of his grand father Colonel (afterwards General) Mead of Putnam Hill, Horse -neck, for information relative to the [margin: 126.]
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186 1036 [margin: 127.] Revolutionary war, although much indisposed from inflammation of an eye. He gave me an old Orderly Book the entries of in which were of July and August in the year 1776, when Colonel (then Major) Meads regiment lay in New York City, and promised to furnish me with any documents containing military information relative to the war of independence which he might find upon a more accurate search. He said: "My grand father was never taken prisoner that I heard of. Putnam's feat in riding down hill has been very much overrated," &c.
¶ See Order of July 27. 1776 – Meads Order Books, [margin: 127]